Switching to raw

Bellearell

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Iā€™ve decided to switch my two EB to raw diet. Upon searching the threads, Iā€™ve settled in ordering for delivery via Rawfedk9. Iā€™ve just emailed them for assistance in ordering for a month.
I have a rescue that Iā€™m sure was crated her first 4 years. She still had the usual jelly pads on her paws just like puppies do. Over time and her suppressed immune system, sheā€™s developed several allergies. Sheā€™s currently on Purina prescription diet for gastrointestinal issues. Maybe it helped at first but now sheā€™s back to bloating and diarrhea and very odiferous gas.
Conversely my male pup just at a year now has no signs of allergies but my hope is to keep it from happening.
I am not a fan of kibble and often cook food for him but it just seems like raw is going to be a better path forward.
So have two questions, I notice the raw food comes in patties. How do you serve it? Frozen or thawed, room temperature?
 

helsonwheels

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Iā€™ve decided to switch my two EB to raw diet. Upon searching the threads, Iā€™ve settled in ordering for delivery via Rawfedk9. Iā€™ve just emailed them for assistance in ordering for a month.
I have a rescue that Iā€™m sure was crated her first 4 years. She still had the usual jelly pads on her paws just like puppies do. Over time and her suppressed immune system, sheā€™s developed several allergies. Sheā€™s currently on Purina prescription diet for gastrointestinal issues. Maybe it helped at first but now sheā€™s back to bloating and diarrhea and very odiferous gas.
Conversely my male pup just at a year now has no signs of allergies but my hope is to keep it from happening.
I am not a fan of kibble and often cook food for him but it just seems like raw is going to be a better path forward.
So have two questions, I notice the raw food comes in patties. How do you serve it? Frozen or thawed, room temperature?
You can serve either way. I serve semi frozen. Thaw it out in the fridge but needs to be served within the day. You might also look into frozen tripe patties to build the gut. Simply use it as a treat. I use to cut it up while semi thawed in 4 slices. Bare in mind it SMELLSā€¼ļø Then refreeze them. Fermented sauerkraut or fermented veggies is also great to build up the gut. A good tablespoon every other day so the dog gets use to it.
 
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Bellearell

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Thanks for the forewarning. Iā€™m a nurse and have bulldogsā€¦.got the smells covered. Pretty excited to get this diet delivered
 

Cbrugs

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I prep out 2 weeks worth of food at a time. I thaw it enough to break apart, put in containers and then put into the freezer. Then I have 4 containers in the fridge at the end of each night. 2 that will be ready the next day and then 2 behind that to thaw for the day after that, etc.
 

helsonwheels

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Jan 10, 2016
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I prep out 2 weeks worth of food at a time. I thaw it enough to break apart, put in containers and then put into the freezer. Then I have 4 containers in the fridge at the end of each night. 2 that will be ready the next day and then 2 behind that to thaw for the day after that, etc.
Youā€™re on a roll woman loll
 
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Bellearell

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I am so excited to be finally making this step. Had bullies for 40 plus years. Can teach an old dog new tricks
 

2BullyMama

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I feed thawedā€¦ take out enough for the week and let it thaw in the fridge
 
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Bellearell

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I prep out 2 weeks worth of food at a time. I thaw it enough to break apart, put in containers and then put into the freezer. Then I have 4 containers in the fridge at the end of each night. 2 that will be ready the next day and then 2 behind that to thaw for the day after that,
I feed thawedā€¦ take out enough for the week and let it thaw in the fridge
Ok I may have a problem. Tudy just refused 1/2 her second raw meal today. She NEVER refuses food. Should I worry? Ha I prolly just need someone else to tell me not to worry
 

Cbrugs

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Ok I may have a problem. Tudy just refused 1/2 her second raw meal today. She NEVER refuses food. Should I worry? Ha I prolly just need someone else to tell me not to worry
None of my dogs have ever refused food so I would probably think something was up. I guess see how she does today and make a vet appointment if it continues.
 
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Bellearell

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None of my dogs have ever refused food so I would probably think something was up. I guess see how she does today and make a vet appointment if it continues.
Actually itā€™s gotten a little more complicated. First she did eat her other 1/2 later when I hand fed her. She has a hard time getting the food out of the bowl.
I had a blood panel done Thursday just prior to raw switch. Vet emailed me over weekend. Tudy has PLE, protein loss enteropathy. Never heard of this before. Itā€™s a condition resulting from another disease, most likely her irritable bowel disorder. The loss of blood protein leads to organ failure if not stopped.
So I am scheduling an abdominal ultrasound asap. Looking for node swelling, masses and measurements of intestinal walls.
Just talked to vet now and will give Tudy 4 meals a day. She would rather I put her back on a low fat prescription diet; however, since Iā€™m 3 days into her, stools still runny, Iā€™m going to give her at least a week to see if thereā€™s no change in stool.
Lastly, Tudy has started to drink way more than normal on the raw. Her kidney functions are good on paper so I thought that was interesting that switching to raw actually prompted her to drink 3Xā€™s more than on the prescription kibble. Weird, huh
 

Cbrugs

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Dec 9, 2016
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King Louie, Jax (French Bulldog), Ella Mae and Darla Rae
Actually itā€™s gotten a little more complicated. First she did eat her other 1/2 later when I hand fed her. She has a hard time getting the food out of the bowl.
I had a blood panel done Thursday just prior to raw switch. Vet emailed me over weekend. Tudy has PLE, protein loss enteropathy. Never heard of this before. Itā€™s a condition resulting from another disease, most likely her irritable bowel disorder. The loss of blood protein leads to organ failure if not stopped.
So I am scheduling an abdominal ultrasound asap. Looking for node swelling, masses and measurements of intestinal walls.
Just talked to vet now and will give Tudy 4 meals a day. She would rather I put her back on a low fat prescription diet; however, since Iā€™m 3 days into her, stools still runny, Iā€™m going to give her at least a week to see if thereā€™s no change in stool.
Lastly, Tudy has started to drink way more than normal on the raw. Her kidney functions are good on paper so I thought that was interesting that switching to raw actually prompted her to drink 3Xā€™s more than on the prescription kibble. Weird, huh
I have no experience with PLE but I will say that it is quiet odd that Tudy started drinking more. Normally raw fed dogs drink way less as the food is already full of moisture.
 
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Bellearell

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I have no experience with PLE but I will say that it is quiet odd that Tudy started drinking more. Normally raw fed dogs drink way less as the food is already full of moisture.
Yes my experience exactly. When I used to cook her food she rarely drank, prescription kibble maybe drank a little moreā€¦.but now on raw markedly more.
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
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very odd she is drinking more on rawā€¦ my frenc will occasionally turn down his food, but would eat if I hand fed him. Have you tried using a different type of bowl.
 
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Bellearell

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very odd she is drinking more on rawā€¦ my frenc will occasionally turn down his food, but would eat if I hand fed him. Have you tried using a different type of bowl.
Actually I had to stop the raw. She was diagnosed with protein losing enteropathy. The raw having her shooting diarrhea, probably dehydrating her. So now we are in the throws of steroids and dietary changes.
 

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